Updating a previous story, Poker News Daily has learned that the taping of the GSN cash game series “High Stakes Poker” has been pushed back from November 18th to December. The filming dates and cast for the seventh cycle of the series have not been announced. However, “High Stakes Poker” hosts Gabe Kaplan and Kara Scott, a PartyPoker pro, are likely to reprise their roles. Read the original article.
GSN officials sent Poker News Daily and other media outlets an e-mail on Tuesday night that read in part, “GSN’s 7th Season of ‘High Stakes Poker’ will be moving the production dates from November to December 2010 in Las Vegas.” The reason for the change in time was not given. Poker News Daily was scheduled to head to the “High Stakes Poker” suite for an inside look at production.
Posters on online poker forums like TwoPlusTwo have been pitching their candidates to grace the Season 7 set. To that end, an official from GSN told the media this week, “I currently don’t have a firm lineup of players yet for this season, but rest assured that we’ll have another great cast of world-class players this year! The shoot location/times are still TBD, but they are coming for sure.” GSN gave no indication as to when the final filming dates would be announced.
One suggestion from TwoPlusTwo was Justin “Boosted J” Smith, who appeared on the Full Tilt Doubles Poker Championship on GSN and is a staple of the high-stakes games on Full Tilt Poker. Others wanted to see Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Phil Ivey return to the felts for a second straight season. Additional names tossed into the fray have included David “Viffer” Peat, Gus Hansen, Mike Matusow, and Unabomber Poker namesake Phil Laak. All four have appeared on past cycles of “High Stakes Poker.”
The sixth season of “High Stakes Poker” was ribbed for its commentary, as Kaplan flew solo in the booth without A.J. Benza, who parted ways before the start of the season. Instead, the banter among the players took center stage. One poster on TwoPlusTwo suggested, “Nothing against Kara, but find a co-host who has the comedic timing and sensibility to trade barbs with Gabe in the commentary booth. If she can’t do it, she’s not the one… I understand you had to fire or let go of A.J. Benza, but the show’s personality no longer matches the action. Spice it up or trade the franchise, but either way step up the funny please?”
“High Stakes Poker” has received competition in the form of the PokerStars-sponsored “Big Game,” which airs nightly on FOX. PokerStars pros Daniel Negreanu and Barry Greenstein have appeared on each of the first six seasons of “High Stakes Poker,” leading many to ponder whether they’ll return for a seventh go-around given their involvement with the “Big Game.” Negreanu also serves as the front man for the poker game show “Million Dollar Challenge,” which is sponsored by PokerStars and airs on FOX on Sundays.
We’ll keep you posted on the latest “High Stakes Poker” headlines right here on Poker News Daily.
Gsn, please bring back A.J.
We miss him so much